PRISON REVIVAL 600+ CONVERTS IN 78 DAYS

[cross-posted from http://ophara.blogspot.com]

He has a burden for lost souls. Sometimes he goes out for the lost at the risk of breaking up his own family. “Don’t dare mimic what I do”, he warns, “unless God has indeed commissioned you otherwise you’ll break up your family”.

Quite elderly and stoop shouldered Brother Nelson Gomera walks in front after singing a song with his son, Branham, in which the father played the keyboard and the son sang the song. The whole church is anxious to hear the report he has brought from his missionary trip.

He has gone through "thick and wild" and often met obstacles but no obstacle has been too big to block him entirely from reaching out to the lost. He was once beaten and made to scoop a well dry for baptizing new converts after preaching at a funeral http://ophara.blogspot.com/2011/04/must-jesus-bear-cross-alone.html. He doesn’t mind the condition of the place he is going to so long as it’s God leading himhttp://ophara.blogspot.com/2011/04/all-things-work-together-for-good.html

It was last year when he boldly approached the Malawi government to ask for permission to preach in Malawi’s prisons. The government didn’t hesitate to grant him the permit but it was only to the prisons in the southern region. Early this year the permit was extended to cover the whole country after the government noted the effectiveness of this special ministry. Sometime last year about 13 inmates, fruits of this Prison Ministry, from Chichiri prison attended a church service at Newlands Church under Apostle Kandoje. They were accompanied by the Assistant Prison Chaplain and other two officers. The church organized lunch and some cash donation to assist them.

The effectiveness of this ministry is beyond doubt and coupled with Brother Overton Makuta’s ministry a lot has been accomplished. For example, last year a hardcore criminal from Ntcheu believed the Message while at Chichiri Prison and Brother Makuta, during a prayer meeting at the prison, told him he would be released “soon”. He didn’t believe it. To him it was impossible looking at the charges that lay before him. He was a reject in society and yet the merciful Lord Jesus Christ had saved him like He did to the other criminal on the cross.

Just a few days later a prison officer stormed into the cell. “What are you doing here”? he asked the Ntcheu “criminal”. He was too startled to give any meaningful answer. The officer ought to have known why this guy was there. “Follow me", he ordered him. He followed him to his office not knowing what was awaiting him. The officer threw himself into his seat, looked him in the face and told him “You are released”. He didn’t believe it but quickly remembered what Brother Makuta had told him a few days before.

He was very excited but his excitement was short-lived when he thought of the challenges that lay ahead. His main challenge was how would he get home? This was not a financial challenge for there were people ready to assist him. But how would the people back home welcome him back into the society? If they saw him among them they would without doubt report him back to the police. They would rather have him locked up away from them than have him in their midst. Just a sight of him sent chills down the spines of many. Brother Gomera had to escort him to the village and explain to the village headman and relatives what had happened to their own. Today he is still a Christian. He was one of the 215 inmates that had given their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ in the year 2012 through this Prison Ministry.

“You remember I left for Zomba on 31^st May 2013 to start my countrywide mission to the prisons”, starts Brother Gomera. “The Lord was with me and thanks for your prayers. Thanks again for your financial support to my family while I was away. It’s not that I don’t want to work and support my family but God has placed a burden in my heart that I should win souls to Him. That’s my job and He gave you money so that you and me can work together to further His Kingdom. So let’s just work together and God will bless you richly.

“Zomba Maximum Prison has five prisons within it and I decided to spend three days per prison. By the end of my mission there I had baptised 19 inmates including Mr Kala, the ex-MP. He’s now a believer. The rest of the prisons are as follows:

Mikuyu Prison, 58 converts

Mpyupyu Prison, 5 converts

Domasi Prison, 34 converts

Mangochi Prison, 27 converts. We then went to another village and baptized 5 more people

Ntcheu Prison, 41 converts. I’ve just received a report that another 7 inmates have been baptized in my absence as the fire blazes across the country

Dedza Prison, 23 converts

Maula Prison, 24 converts comprising 6 women and 18 men

Kachere Prison, 16 converts

Dowa Prison, 15 converts

Ntchisi Prison, 29 converts

Kasungu Prison, 19 converts. After my departure 5 more were baptized

Mzuzu Prison, 27 converts

Rumphi 25, after my departure 46 more were baptized by the brethren I had left there.

Karonga 36 including Police officer-in-charge’s wife

Chitipa 24

Nkhata Bay where I met Morton Kalefya. I was putting up in his parents’ home who now are believers after I baptized them.

And finally Nkhotakota 63 converts and that was the climax

“I would stay for 3 or 4 days at one place. As for what I was eating I’ll not disclose. God is the boss and was taking care of me. When you have God you have everything so long as you get into His system. Don’t dare mimic what I do unless God has indeed commissioned you otherwise your family will be broken.

“My son, Branham Gomera was also ministering in prisons. He went to Bvumbwe and Thyolo and I joined him last Friday and from his work 30 prisoners have been baptized. Some more will be baptized next week. Please keep praying for me. There’s still more to be done.”

Now all those converts repented their sins and got baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Bible, Acts 2:38.

Do you want to help Bro Nelson Gomera reach out to the lost? Any coin you contribute will go a long way in saving a soul somewhere. Leave your email address below or write to opharaohiyana@gmail.com and we’ll get in touch with you. May God bless you.